NSSAF defends rugby ban decision in memo to school principals

Maya Cochrane, Jobean Boyd and Alison Dill, co-captains of Avon View’s senior girls’ rugby team, said the girls had already planned a team bonding night at Bubba Rays in Windsor May 2. Prior to making it to the dinner, they learned the NSSAF banned high school level rugby that same day. - Carole Morris-Underhill

WINDSOR, N.S. —

In an internal memo directed to principals May 5, the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation lays it all out on the line.

The memo tackles the topics of the controversial rugby ban and Education Minister Zach Churchill’s subsequent call for the reinstatement of high school rugby.

Stephen MacNeil, chairman of the NSSAF Board of Governors, said the decision to remove rugby from the provincial sport schedule was based on data from the School Insurance Program, which was supported by observations of principals at their own schools.

MacNeil added that due to safety concerns for new participants, field conditions, and a lack of a development system, the unanimous decision was made.

He also addressed the comments made by Churchill, saying this in the memo: “Minister Churchill made a directive through social media for the NSSAF to reinstate rugby. The justification for the decision was that the NSSAF breached the funding agreement with the department because the department was not informed of the proposed changes. The NSSAF Board of Governors disagrees that the funding agreement was breached.”

He continues, saying that he met with the deputy minister of education and early childhood development on March 29 and discussed a number of issues, including the status of rugby.

“I shared the SIP (School Insurance Program) data with the deputy and discussed our consideration of discontinuing rugby,” MacNeil said in the memo. “She offered no objections and engaged in a discussion about sports that may replace rugby on the schedule.”

MacNeil says a representative from the provincial department was present for the discussion on the future of rugby at the May 2 board meeting. At no time did the representative indicate that the decision was in breach of the funding agreement, he said.

“The NSSAF Board was extremely disappointed that the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development communicated over social media that an agreement breach occurred,” the memo says. “Let me be very clear: the NSSAF Board is not against the sport of rugby. Our board is simply not confident that a safe environment exists when rugby is being introduced to young men and women at the high school level.”

MacNeil said he understands the frustration among student-athletes, coaches and parents, and is also aware of the role that high school rugby players have in developing Rugby Nova Scotia teams. However, developing players for other organizations is not part of their mandate, he said.

The Valley Journal-Advertiser has reached out to Everett MacPherson, principal of Avon View High School, and Brad Stokes, principal of Horton High School, for comment.

In a press release, Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia Leader Tim Houston said on May 6 that rugby players deserve to know what happened.

“The minister must set the record straight on his role in the initial decision to cancel rugby,” Houston said in a prepared statement. “The students deserve straightforward answers.”

The press release references the leaked memo sent to principals, saying it contradicts what Churchill said about the decision.

“The minister told Nova Scotians that his department didn’t know about the decision to cancel rugby but the memo says otherwise,” Houston said. “It begs the question, did the minister knowingly withhold information from the public?”

“It feels like this issue has been offloaded to the principals to deal with because neither the federation or the department can make a decision,” says Houston. “Rugby players in high schools have been sitting in limbo for days wondering whether they will get to play the game. I urge the minister to clear the air and get our players back on the field.”

A media representative from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development provided the following statement via email:

“We, like the… NSSAF, are first and foremost concerned about our students, and about providing opportunities for kids to participate in school sports safely. We believe that physical activity is essential to their wellbeing,” the statement circulated by Chrissy Matheson reads.

“As stated on (May 3), the department was not aware of NSSAF’s plan to announce the cancellation of the rugby season. The Regional Education Directors and the CSAP Superintendent are today informing their principals that high school rugby will continue.”

The prepared statement adds that the department has scheduled a meeting with the NSSAF Board of Directors on May 7 to “discuss a path forward in the best interest of our students.”